Stay in the House, Carl
by zenniel
Summary: Oneshot. Andryl. "Carl looked up at Andrea and then down at the cards and a slow smile slid across his face. 'You know how to play Speed? ' Andrea was smiling now, too, 'I bet I can beat you nine times of ten.'"


**As per popular request, I have decided to go the completely opposite way of morbid, deathly fanfics and have decided to write an upbeat fiction. Just to make sure no one hounds on me, I know Lori's a good mother and that Carl's just an overly-curious ten year old. I'm just trying to be humorous by way of the title~**

"Andrea, you know where Carl's got off to?" Lori asked one day as the blond sat on Hershel's couch, reading a book.

Andrea glanced up, closing her book and saving her spot with a finger. "No, no idea. He might be with Rick."

Lori shook her head, "Rick hasn't seen him, either."

Just then, the front door opened and Lori craned her head to see who it was. In an instant, Andrea could tell it was Carl, but Glenn's voice reached her ears first, "Hey, Lori! Me'n'Carl were just out in the barn with Maggie. He said you might be worried about him, though. He said he didn't tell you where he was going."

"Hi mom!" Carl's voice was cheery and Andrea could feel the vibrations through the couch as he bounced over to hug his mother.

"Hi," Lori was obviously surprised; "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, and we brushed Nelly, cleaned her. Maggie said she liked me." Carl was obviously happy about that and Andrea peeked over the top of the couch but couldn't see the two of them. Instead, she scooted down into the couch again and opened up her book, intent to start reading again.

"Hey, Andrea." Lori said, obviously having disentangled herself from her son's arms and apparently sneaky enough to be standing at the back of the couch without Andrea noticing her. The blond looked up questioningly and Lori continued, "You think you could watch Carl for a while? I need him in the house." Her voice lowered to a whisper and she leaned in, "Rick and I are planning a surprise for him and he needs to stay in the house."

Andrea raised an eyebrow. "Birthday?"

"Not exactly, something to make him happier." Lori answered and pulled away. She asked louder, "Can you?"

"Sure. I'd love to watch Carl." Andrea answered flatly, already trying to figure out what Carl liked. She realized quite quickly that she had no idea how to play with the boy and she could also tell by the way he sulked around the corner that he didn't want to be here, either.

"Great!" Lori exclaimed and hurried a confused Glenn out of the house. Carl snarled after her.

Then he turned to look at her, "What made Mom want to keep me in the house?"

Andrea smiled slyly as she looked at the page number to the book, forcing herself to memorize it before looking at Carl with a slight smile and a shrug, "Dunno. Maybe you'll have to ask her when she comes back."

She sat up on the couch and patted her hand on the seat cushion next to her. "Come on, what do you like to do?"

"Play outside," Carl grumbled as he plopped on the seat, "Mess around the camp."

Andrea grinned as she pulled open the drawer to the coffee table that sat directly in front of the couch and pulled out a pile of cards. "Well, I know it's not like outside, but I've got a couple mean card games I can teach you."

Carl looked up at Andrea and then down at the cards and a slow smile slid across his face. "You know how to play Speed?"

Andrea was smiling now, too, "I bet I can beat you nine times of ten."

"You're on."

* * *

Daryl entered the house to hear the unmistakable sound of laughter. He entered the kitchen and flung the squirrel bodies in the sink. Already stripped of their hide and burnt to an almost toast from the fire. He had the express intent of making himself a sandwich from the salvaged bread and the cooked meat and as he got the bread out, he checked on who was making that racket. To his surprise, it was Andrea who was both laughing and smiling. And she was playing with that kid, Carl.

"What're ya doin'?" He asked as he strode into the main room, curiosity sparking his tone.

Andrea looked up, "Oh, Daryl."

But it was Carl who answered, "Playing cards! Wanna join us?"

"Ah, no." He answered promptly, "Gotta fix some lunch."

Andrea's stomach grumbled and he couldn't help but smile at the weird way she looked at him with a sheepish smile on her face. "Would you mind terribly if you fix me something, too?"

"And me?" Carl piped up.

Daryl was about to deny their requests when he caught the look in Andrea's eye. Then he sighed, "Ah, what the hell. Sure, ya want mayonnaise on it?"

"What're you making, Daryl?" Carl asked.

To which Daryl smiled and shrugged, "Nunya."

* * *

Carl turned back to Andrea with a sigh and downcast eyes. "I don't think he likes me."

"Daryl doesn't like anyone," Andrea mused as she shuffled the cards again, shrugging. She began to deal out the cards again.

"That's not true; he likes you." Carl answered back, not looking at her when she looked up with surprise splashed across her face.

"How—?" She asked and was angered by Carl's childish 'I know everything' grin.

"I know things." Carl mused. He picked up his cards and a silly grin spread across his face. "Like I know I'm going to win this game."

Andrea shook off her momentary discomfort and looked at her own hand. "Oh, I think I've got you beat this time."

Carl readied himself and looked up at her with those incredibly cute eyes and his freckly little face, "Let's see who says Speed first this time."

"It'll be me, of course." Andrea grinned and together they turned over their first card and began play.

* * *

Daryl didn't mind making the same sandwich three times. He did remember to add a little salt to Andrea's sandwich—how could he forget how much she liked to add salt to his food?—and he even cut the boy's sandwich in halves. They didn't have chips, but salt and vinegar chips would have tasted really good right about now. The chips Glenn had found were all stale and though Daryl would eat anything, he wasn't in the mood for stale chips right now.

He balanced their two sandwiches in one hand and his in the other and came into the main room. Andrea's back was to him and he took a moment to watch the way her movements were fluid even as she played a stupid game with a kid. Then the kid in question noticed him and the moment was ruined as Carl crowed for joy, crying something like 'food!' at the top of his lungs.

The kid's grabby hands caught Andrea's plate and Daryl growled, "Th' other one's yers."

Carl understood and gave Andrea her plate, picked up his, and plonked back down on the couch. Daryl sat on the small chair opposite the couch and Andrea leaned back suddenly no longer smiling but looking him over. He got all tingly as he stared her right back. Then she started eating and he immediately followed suit, parroting her.

Carl giggled and Daryl shot him a look. "Whatchoo laughin' at?"

The boy shrugged; "Just you. Andrea knows what I mean."

Andrea gave Carl the 'don't fuck with me' look mixed with the 'are you saying what I think you're saying' look but Carl didn't seem to register it. Finally, she asked, "What're you talking about? Are you talking about before?"

Carl just grinned. "I dare you to kiss him."

Daryl shot up in his chair but luckily he knew Carl didn't notice. Andrea laughed shortly, "We weren't playing Truth or Dare, we were playing Speed. Eat your sandwich."

* * *

Lori came in to collect her boy shortly after Andrea won the twenty-third time; Carl had only one seven games but he still pushed on to try to win _one more game_. Carl was sad to leave (in the middle of a game) but he was relieved that he could go outside again. From the way Daryl perked up, Andrea knew he was glad the kid was leaving, too. She listened for a moment and then heard his childish squeal of joy. A smile crossed her face.

Then Daryl was standing above her. She knew he was there just by his brooding silence and she almost didn't look up. When she did look up, however, he was there, plaid shirt and all. His discarded sandwich was on the seat he'd been sitting on. "What the fuck did you tell him, Blondie?"

She shrugged and managed a half-smile as she looked up at him, "I didn't tell him anything. I don't even know what 'anything' is."

But she was standing now, still staring Daryl down. The side of his mouth quirked up in that little smile he always did. She didn't think she'd ever seen him in a full smile. She could smell his manly, earthy smell. Then she was smiling. "Truth or Dare?" He asked in question to Carl's earlier statement.

"Yeah; I don't know where that came from. Silly boy." She tried to shrug off.

He tilted his head to one side. "Truth or Dare?" He asked again, almost incredulously.

This time, she took the question to be literal. He didn't deserve another explanation. "Dare."

If Daryl was surprised, he didn't show it. "Aright, I dare ya ta do what Carl said."

She felt the blush spread across her cheeks but he had her around the hips, pulling her close to him but only so close as they were barely touching. He stared at her with his light eyes, his face a solid rock of lack of emotion. She looked up at him and then rose up on her toes, leaned in, and kissed his lips, softly curious, searching. And he answered back.


End file.
